Affection
by MeganKoumori
Summary: Woody feels self conscious in front of the other guys. Will it affect his relationship with Bo? Note: Chapter 3 fixed!
1. Chapter 1

1:

* * *

Someone had left the window open a crack. The spring breeze that was blowing now was nice and cool, but not biting.

Andy had placed his TV on the floor again. Woody and Bo sat together watching it. As the theme of a "Law and Order" rerun started to play, the breeze found its way to the couple.

Woody was the first to feel it. It was nice against his wooden face. He closed his eyes, enjoying the draft. Opening his eyes again, he saw Bo. She was staring at him and smiling. "What?"

She shook her head and leaned towards him. "I was just thinking how cute you are when you're happy." Woody laughed in embarrassment as his cheeks flushed. She slipped her hand into his.

They exchanged smiles. Suddenly there was a snicker. The two toys looked toward the sound. Mr. Potato Head, along with Hamm, Rex, and some of the others, were watching them. Potato Head and Hamm in particular seemed to be amused.

Realizing that they were staring at the still held hands, Woody quickly dropped Bo's. As the Cowboy turned red, Bo glared at Potato Head. He stopped chuckling a moment.

Turning back to Woody, Bo placed her hand on his knee, gently rubbing her fingertips against where the stitching was. Woody didn't mind. In fact, he quite liked it. He was about to smile again when the snickers got louder.

This time, Bo's icy stare didn't stop the guffawing. Woody could feel the eyes on him, on both of them, boring smug holes into their heads. Automatically, he pushed Bo's hand off his leg.

Bo was shocked. Woody was shy, it was true, but he had never rejected her affection before, not even with the teasing.

Woody turned and at looked her. Her face was a mixture of surprise, hurt, and confusion. Standing up, she turned to go.

"No wait!" Woody jumped up and followed. "Bo, wait! I'm sorry!"

As she passed by the group, she paused and stared at Potato Head. The others wondered if she was going to hit him, but as usual, Bo kept her cool. Instead, she said simply in a low, incensed voice, "I don't like you."

By the time Woody caught up, she had already left the bedroom. "Bo…"

"She doesn't _like_ me?" Repeated Potato Head. "She doesn't _like _me?"

"Actually she despises you but she's too nice to say it to your face." Woody glared at him. "What is wrong with you? All of you!" Addressing Potato Head, he said, "I don't laugh when you kiss your wife! Why must you laugh at me?"

"Because you get all self conscious and it's funny," said Hamm.

"It's _not _funny!"

"Hey we didn't tell you not to hold her hand or push her hand off your leg!" Potato Head protested.

Woody ignored him. Instead, he was staring at the closed door. "Oh Bo," he muttered. "What am I gonna do?"


	2. Chapter 2

2:

* * *

"What are you going to do?" Buzz asked. He was stretched out on some blocks, throwing a hacky sack into the air, trying to catch it. Woody was seated at his feet.

"I don't know," he confessed. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I just did it without thinking." Woody sighed, then scowled. "I just don't understand women."

"Who does? Besides other women."

"I'm serious!" Said Woody as Buzz caught the hacky sack for the final time and sat up. "Why must they be so sensitive to everything?" He turned to Buzz. "Would you be slighted if I didn't speak for hours?"

"Of course not," replied Buzz.

"Would you be livid if I had a drink or two?"

"Nonsense!" Said Buzz.

"Would you be wounded if I never sent you flowers?"

"Never."

"Well then," Woody finished. "Why can't a woman be like you?"

Buzz blinked. "Wait, what are we talking about?"

"I have no idea."

"Howdy!" Sang a voice. Jessie skipped over. "Whatcha boys doin?"

"Not much."

"Hey, that's an idea!" Buzz said, looking at Jessie. "Maybe you should ask another girl's advice!"

"Yeah, but where am I going to find another girl?" Furrowing her brows, Jessie coughed loudly. Woody waved her off. "No, no. I mean a _real _girl."

Jessie growled and began to punch him in the shoulder. "I AM a real girl!"

"Ow!"

"I am a girl! I'm delicate! I'm refined! I'm graceful! I'm dainty! Jerk!"

"Ok, ok!" Woody pushed her away to stop her from hitting him anymore. "See Buzz, this is what I meant by women being too sensitive!"

Jessie crossed her arms. "What are you talking about?"

Woody looked down. "Bo. I kind of hurt her feelings earlier. Some of the other guys were laughing because we were holding hands and…"

Jessie looked around. "I'm sorry. Did I miss when we all turned into kindergarteners?"

"Anyway…I kind of…" The Cowboy looked almost ashamed. "Pushed her away. Now she's unhappy."

"Mmhmm, mmhmm, mmhmm…" Jessie nodded sagely as she listened. Buzz gave her a weird look.

"What do you think I should do?"

"Well," she leaned forward. "Seems to me you're putting your pals above your gal. Why do you care what they think?"

"Because…" Woody paused, searching for an answer. "Well, because I just do! I've got a reputation in this room! I run staff meetings, I plan activities, I keep everything running!"

"And you think that by being close with your girlfriend that'll somehow affect the way other people see you?"

Woody shrugged haplessly. "Sounds kind of silly doesn't it?"

"Well Sheriff," Jessie flicked his hat backward fondly. "Seems you got some choices to make: Either tell Bo that you two can't hold hands or whatnot in public, or you can tell them other clodhoppers to shut their big bazoos!" She shrugged. "Either way, it's up to you."

As she walked off, Woody stared into space, thinking about what she said. "What's a bazoo?" Asked Buzz.

"It's Cowboy slang for 'mouth,'" replied Woody. There was a moment's silence. "If I were hours late for dinner, would you bellow?"

"Of course not!" Said Buzz.

"If I forgot your silly birthday, would you fuss?"

"Nonsense."

"Would you complain if I took out another fellow?"

"Never." Answered Buzz.

"Well," said Woody. "Why can't a woman…_be like us?"_


	3. Chapter 3

3:

* * *

Woody sat by the window on the desk. The cool spring morning had turned into an even cooler afternoon. The Cowboy stared at the world outside. The sky was a deep blue and the leaves were coming back to the trees.

Lost in thought, he began to replay that morning in his head. Jessie was right. Why did he get so self conscious when it came to Bo? Why did he care what the other guys thought?

Of course it wasn't always like that. When they could be alone together, it was the easiest thing in the world to be himself. Bo had a special way of taking away the tension, much more so than anyone else he'd ever met. He never had to worry about meetings and rules when he was with her. They could just sit and talk for hours about anything. Or sometimes, they would just be quiet as they snuggled against one another. Either way, she was always there for him.

_Always there for me…_ The door creaked. Woody looked to see who was coming in. Bo. And she looked as though she'd lost her sheep again.

As she lifted up the blanket to check under the bed, Woody watched. She released the cover and went to look somewhere else.

Suddenly, Woody felt a hankering in his heart. He started to stand, but as he did, he noticed Potato Head and Hamm not too far from where Bo was searching.

For a moment he looked back and forth between them and Bo. Then the Cowboy frowned. "Heck with it!"

Climbing down off the desk, he jumped off the chair. With a strong, purposeful stride he made his way across the bedroom. Past Buzz and Jessie. Past Rex. Past RC. Past Hamm and Potato Head. All the way until he reached Bo.

She hadn't noticed yet. She was still looking for her flock. Summoning up every piece of courage in his toy body, Woody placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around toward him. He could see the surprise in her large blue eyes as she faced him.

"Woody, what…" Before Bo could get another word out, Woody had placed his mouth over hers. She let out a muffled cry of surprise. He had done it: In front of every toy in Andy's room, he had kissed her.

And now, for some reason, he didn't care. He didn't care who saw. Right now, all he wanted to do was to kiss Bo. And suddenly, he felt his arms picking her up around the waist and lifting her above him as he continued. Time had stopped, and for all the love struck Cowboy knew, the Earth had as well.

When Woody finally stopped kissing her, he gently placed her back on the ground. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "So…" Then he took a deep breath. "So there!" He turned to the other toys who were staring at them agape. "So there! I love this woman, and I don't care who knows it!" Bo's face was scarlet red as he spoke. "Go ahead and laugh and tease!" Woody continued. "I don't care anymore! This is my girlfriend and I'm crazy about her!"

He had been expecting snickers and giggles, so he was shocked when instead, every toy in the room started to applaud. Even Potato Head was clapping.

Next to Jessie, Buzz grinned. "Way to go, Cowboy!" He called.

Bo and Woody looked at each other and exchanged bashful smiles. "I mean it Bo," said Woody in a quiet voice. "I love you."

Bo beamed. "I love you too."

This time, he didn't kiss her. Instead, he just hugged her close.

* * *

That night, Woody and Bo sat by the window as everyone else slept. She snuggled under his arm with her eyes closed and her head resting on his chest. Woody watched the stars outside. It was a clear night and there were lots of them. Still, he told himself, he was holding the prettiest one of all.

The radio was playing. Andy often turned it on before he went to bed and now Woody could hear the soft crooning of an old familiar voice:

"_Love me tender,  
Love me sweet,  
Never let me go.  
You have made my life complete,  
And I love you so…"_

The Cowboy smiled tiredly. Suddenly, he was feeling rather sleepy himself…


End file.
